Healthy food choices
The most recent figures from the NHS’s Health Survey for England showed that in 2018 only 28 per cent of adults were eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. “One reason for this may be because thinking that others ‘like’ and eat fruit and vegetables nudges participants to alter their behaviour in order to fit in with what they perceive to be the norm.” “What we see others approve of eating and post about eating on social media can affect our actual eating behaviour and could result in a greater consumption of healthier meals and snacks.” “The findings of the study suggest that not only exposure to healthy food images on social media, but those that are also heavily endorsed with ‘likes’, may nudge people to choose to eat more healthy foods, in place of less nutritious foods.” However, the researchers found that the participants went on to consume a larger proportion of grapes after viewing highly liked images of fruit and vegetables, compared to the other images.Īston University psychology PhD student Lily Hawkins, who led the study alongside supervisor Dr Jason Thomas, said: The 169 participants, who had an average age of 21 years old (but total ages across the group ranged from 18 to 48), were asked to look at mock Instagram posts of different types of food, that either had a few or a lot of ‘likes’, and later given access to grapes and cookies to consume.Īs well as viewing images of fruit and vegetables, participants also looked at less nutritious foods such as cakes and biscuits, and non-food images such as stylish interior designs. The study, which is published in the scientific journal Appetite, investigated the acute effect of socially endorsed social media posts on participants’ eating behaviour. The research, by psychologists from Aston University’s College of Health and Life Sciences, found that study participants who viewed highly liked mock Instagram posts of fruit and vegetables ate a significantly higher proportion of grapes than cookies, with consumption of grapes increasing by 14 per cent more calories, compared to those who viewed highly liked high calorie foods. Newswise - Social media users who view images of healthy foods that have been heavily endorsed with ‘likes’ are more likely to make healthier food choices, a new study has found. News Research News Releases Journal News Medical News Science News Life News Business News Expert Pitch Google Fact Check Research Alert Marketplace News With Video/Audio Multimedia RSS Feeds by Latest News Coronavirus News Currently Embargoed